vLane Blog

Articles Matching “maintenance”

• Rachel Veitch and her 1964 Mercury Comet Caliente

  Banovsky on July 2, 2009

  What a difference the Internet can make. It's doubtful anyone would have taken interest in a 557,000-mile 1964 Mercury Comet Caliente.

  

  Veitch describes her car as more loyal than "any of her three husbands"

  But thanks to the folks at GrowingBolder.com, this remarkable story of 90-year-old Rachel Veitch and her car can be enjoyed by all.

  Through countless years, she describes how reliable her chariot has been ("…more than any of my three husbands"), how she always goes for the lifetime warranty (16 batteries and counting…), and her unique method of theft protection (a handgun hidden within reach.)

  Even better, though, is that Veitch genuinely appreciates the act of driving and doesn't take it for granted. She even mentions that older drivers should be tested regularly to keep their skills sharp.

  Click through to watch the video.

  [Source: GrowingBolder.com via Detnews.com]

  Read full article | Comments (3) | Filed under driving, Classic, Feature, WTF, Sedan, History, Misc, maintenance, women, women, Detroit, women, antique, US, 1964, Mercury

• Old school Bentleys on the road

  Fred Cox on July 1, 2009

  It's not often you see a museum worthy car being driven at all, much less on the road where gawking drivers can run into them, but here are a couple of 80 year old Bentleys in all their glory.

  

  I was lucky enough to come across these on Vancouver Island last week. They had just returned from an adventure up the West Coast of Canada and Alaska with other Bentleys of various vintages. According to the event's website, one of these cars had 13 tire changes, so it wasn't easy going by any means.

  These were the days before almost any safety rules or equipment existed, so no bumpers, even. Active safety was the word of the day.

  Read full article | Comments (1) | Filed under safety, speed, Classic, Bentley, lifestyle, tires, windshield, rubber, rims, maintenance, Vintage Motorsports, brakes, shock absorber, exhaust, headlights, antique, sports sedan, performance, muscle car, Cash for Clunkers

• Car care workshop part 6: Maintenance

  AshleyW on June 9, 2009

  This is the last part (1, 2, 3 4, and 5 here) to this informative workshop that I went to. I must say that the staff at this Speedy Auto Service have really set the bar for me in what I will look for in a mechanic and auto repair shop. Everyone was extremely welcoming and told all of us so much information that I know I will use.

  

  North American-made tires will have this stamp

  Most importantly, they emphasized and reminded us that as consumers it is our right to ask questions about any repair.

  I left that workshop with a wealth of information and I hope from what is written here, those who read this learn as much as I did. Thank you to the amazing staff: Marcella-Lynne Durant-Abraham, VP of operations, Carl Abraham, owner and operator, Abdul Sankar, mechanic, Vittorio Puzzo, mechanic, and Arman Abdollahian, apprentice, for providing women and men with the tools to understand the automotive repair environment.

  Here are some tips and helpful tools in car maintenance from Abraham.

  Read on…

  Read full article | Comments (0) | Filed under News, Advice , Safety, tires, rims, maintenance, Autoshop, women, women, Speedy, repair, exhaust, batteries, women, repair, headlights

• Car care workshop part 5: Suspension and warning lights

  AshleyW on June 5, 2009

  In Part 5 (parts 1, 2, 3, and 4 here) of the Speedy Auto Service Women's Car Care Workshop we were told about the significance of the suspension, and a short overview on the instrument panel on a dashboard.

  

  A new strut (left) and a worn strut (right.)

  Suspension

  Shock absorber — These are used to absorb vibrations from the road and should be changed every 60-80,000 km. They work in and up and down motion to provide a smoother ride in your vehicle.

  Strut — A strut works the same as a shock absorber but the spring is longer. If you have weak suspension system contact is lost between the tire and the road. Mechanic Abdul Sankar said you need that contact, especially in the winter. With a weak suspension your tires will be bouncing on the road and the outside of the tire starts to wear rapidly. "The better the suspension the longer your tires will last," said Sankar.

  Continued…

  Read full article | Comments (1) | Filed under News, Feature, Advice , Safety, maintenance, Autoshop, speedy , suspension, instrumental panel, ball joint, shock absorber, emergency brake, SRS

• Car care workshop part 4: Brakes

  AshleyW on June 1, 2009

  We all know how important brakes are to our vehicles. In part 4 (parts 1, 2, 3) of the Women's Car Care Workshop at Speedy Auto Service in Toronto, Canada we were told how essential it is to maintain brakes and their surrounding parts.

  

  This is how your brakes look without the drum

  Mechanic Abdul Sankar demonstrated and explained to the group everything we need to know about brakes.

  More…

  Read full article | Comments (0) | Filed under News, Feature, How-To, Advice , Safety, maintenance, women, women, speedy , brakes, pads, rotor, brake shoe, brake fluid, women

• Car care workshop part 3: Belts

  AshleyW on May 29, 2009

  In Part 3 (part 1, part 2) of this series for the Speedy Auto Service Women's Car Care Workshop that I attended in Toronto, Canada, Mechanic Abdul Sankar spoke to the group about belts and in particular why water pumps are so important in relation to a timing belt.

  

  The V belt is on the left, the larger timing belt is on the right.

  V-belt — Fits in the pulley and forms the shape of a V. You can find them in older cars and are occasionally used in new vehicles. V belts drive the alternator, water pump, power steering. This belt can crack and should be checked often.

  Read on…

  Read full article | Comments (0) | Filed under News, Feature, How-To, Advice , Safety, engine, maintenance, women, women, Speedy, belt, timing, serpentine, women

• Car care workshop part 2: Filters

  AshleyW on May 28, 2009

  Here is the second part (part 1 here) of the workshop I attended at Speedy Auto Service on car maintenance in Toronto, Canada. Specifically aimed at women, this workshop was all about learning how to maintain your vehicle and to know how some of these car parts actually work. Mechanic Abdul Sankar spoke to the group of women and men about filters.

  

  Sankar explains to the audience about the importance of maintenance.

  Cabin filter — For most vehicles the cabin filter is located under the dashboard and it filters the air coming from outside. There is pollen, bacteria and gases that are in the air. Cabin filters are installed for health reasons. Sankar had us inspect up close a square shaped cabin filter that was black in colour and contained pieces of sediment and leaves. Pollutants that you wouldn't want to inhale. Your cabin filter should be inspected at every oil change. Some vehicles have one cabin filter or two.

  Read on…

  Read full article | Comments (0) | Filed under driving, News, Feature, How-To, Advice , Safety, engine, maintenance, women, women, oil, filter, Speedy, women

• Car care workshop part 1: Fluids

  AshleyW on May 27, 2009

  I was able to participate in one of the most informative workshops I have ever been to regarding car maintenance — and it was free!

  

  It's important to have your vehicle fluids checked.

  Speedy Auto Service located at 660 St. Clair Avenue West in Toronto, Canada held their first workshop for women on car care. There was so much I learned that this series will be divided in several parts, stay tuned for more.

  I filled six pages in my notebook with all sorts of tips and lessons on the best ways to maintain a car. As a female who drives on a regular basis, there was so much I discovered I didn't know at this workshop and also what to look for when choosing the best place to have a car serviced thanks to the amazing staff at Speedy Auto Service.

  The workshop was put together by Marcella-Lynne Durant-Abraham, VP of Operations, Carl Abraham, Owner and Operator, Abdul Sankar, Mechanic, Vittorio Puzzo, Mechanic, and Arman Abdollahian, Apprentice. The topics ranged from fluids to brakes and everything in between and the crowd of women and a few men in the audience were just as busy as I was taking notes.

  "A customer had come to me for an oil change and we checked his transmission fluid, and we told him that it definitely had to be changed today. He told me no I have been driving with it for this long I'm not concerned about it. He came in soon after and said you know I should have listened to ya. 'I said why is that?' He said it just cost me $3300 for a transmission. The entire transmission had to be replaced because the oil was that bad, the oil in the transmission was like water it had no lubricants in it. Stuff like that we see all the time."

  More…

  Read full article | Comments (0) | Filed under Industry, Feature, How-To, Advice , Safety, Performance, engine, maintenance, women, women, tranmission fluid, oil, power steering fluid, speedy

• Products to keep your vehicle's electronic toys clean

  AshleyW on May 11, 2009

  Cleaning your car entirely inside and out is a lot of work, but definitely worth it once the job is complete and every angle sparkles. When it comes to your interior, removing fingerprints, spots, smudges and dust from your audio equipment has become easier.

  For those with navigation systems or LCD screens in the rear for passengers, the screens can be easily cleaned with LCD-specific cleaners.

  Click through for the rest of this article.

  Read full article | Comments (0) | Filed under multi-purpose, interior, convenience, News, Advice , lifestyle, interior, stereo, audio, maintenance